Vehicle-shaft support



(No Model.)

J. F. PACE.

VEHICLE SHAFT SUPPORT.

Patented Sept. 29, 1885. F/

ATTORNEYS.

N4 PETERS, Photo-Lilhngnphor. Wuhlngun. n r.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. PAGE, OF SIMSBOROUGH, LOUISIANA.

VEHICLE-SHAFT SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,191, dated September 29, 1885.

Application filed December 3, 1884.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES F. PACE, of Simsborough, in the parish of Lincoln and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and Improved Shaft-Support, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide certain new and useful improvements in the shaft-support for which United States Letters Patent No. 293,495 were issued to me on the 13th day of May, 1884.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and specifically claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side View of a vehicle provided with my improved shaft support, parts being in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side View of the improved support, parts being in section on the lineg y in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same inverted. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the same on the line 00 :r, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a face View of the eye-plate.

An angular plate or casting, A, is provided in one shank or wing with a longitudinal slot, B, through which a bolt, B, can be passed into the bottom of the vehicle-box O, or through the elliptic spring WV supporting the box.

The slot B permits shifting the casting or angular piece A a greater or less distance from the edge of the box or front side of the spring, as circumstances may require.

The plate A. is provided at its front end with a recess, D, which is adapted to receive the end of a fork, E, and a bolt or pivot, F, passed transversely through the end of the fork E and the end of the plate A.

Around the bolt or pivot F a powerful spring, G, is coiled, the middle portion of which extends to near the swinging end of the fork E and forces the same upward against the dash-board or end of the box.

Each shank of the fork E is provided with a bend, E, forming a recess for receiving blocks or clamp-plates J, which have their adjoining surfaces serrated transversely. A

(No model.)

screw-bolt, K, is passed through the bends E, the blocks or plates J, and through a longitudinally-slotted bar, M, held between the blocks or plates J and the prongs of the fork E. A winged nut, L, is screwed on one end of the bolt K.

The sides of. the bar M are serrated, and at its free end the bar M is provided with a downwardly-projecting hook, N.

On the rear edge of the crossbar O, uniting the shafts P, a plate, Q, is secured, having an eye, B, for receiving the hook N on the end of the bar M. The bar M is pressed upward, and then the shafts P are raised, the hook N passing into the eye R and catching on the bottom edge of the same, and thus holding the shafts raised.

To release the shafts, they are swung back two or three inches, when the hook N swings out of the eyeR and against the front of the box or dashboard.

The shaftsupport can easily be lengthened or shortened, and it can also be used for supporting vehicle-poles.

The advantage of my present construction over that shown in the patent referred to is as follows: In said patent the hook N projected rearward when the bar was in a vertical position, so that when engaged with the crossbar of the shafts it was necessary to pull the bar down with one hand and lower the shafts with the other hand a certain distance to allow the bar to swing back to its place against the wagon-front.

In the present improvement the hook projects forward, and it may engage a catch-plate, Q, placed either on the front, top, or rear face of the cross-piece of the shafts, so that it is only necessary to raise the shafts slightly when the hook and catch-plate will be disengaged and the bar thrown to its vertical position without being touched by the other hand, which is free and may be used to hold the horse, &c.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A shaft-support consisting, essentially, in a bar adapted to be pivoted at one end to the front of a wagon, and formed on its free end with a forward-projecting hook, a spring for IOO throwing the bar into avertical position against When the spring will automatically return the the Wagon-front, and a oatch-plate constructed bar to its normal position, substantially as set To be applied to the front, top, or rear face of forth.

the cross-piece of the shafts, whereby, when JAMES F. PAGE. 5 it is desired to release the hook from the catch- WVitnesses:

p1ate,it is simply necessary to raise the shafts S. J. YOUNG,

slightly to relieve the hook of their weight R. P. YOUNG. 

